Supporting your child Understand level of course Know college requirements Be aware of workload Be aware of a variety of revision / work strategies

Types of qualification Level 3 courses are A levels and equivalent. Level 2 courses are equivalent to GCSEs. Taking level 3 courses in year 12 means 2 years at college (not 3). Taking level 3 courses enables progression to university. Taking level 3 courses increases your potential career earnings.

Types of level 3 course AS and A2 level – academic, theory based Give access to university courses (honours degree) A and AS levels are one of the main routes into higher education, but they're also useful if you want to go straight into a job, such as office administration or trainee accountancy. Vocational – vocational, learning by doing Give access to university courses (foundation degree) Vocational qualifications can help you: get the skills you need to start a job progress in your career go on to further learning

East Surrey Requirements

Reigate College entry requirements

Implications for our students Offers will be made for the number of 4+ grades but courses will be allocated dependent on numbers of B/6+ and GCSE average grades. Students can not concentrate only on post 16 options. One subject can make the difference. Available post 16 options will affect potential career choices.

Further details Both East Surrey and Reigate College have specific entry requirements for individual courses. These are available on their prospectus which can be downloaded from their website.

New GCSE for KS4

Into college 4+ in English and maths plus C+ in 3 other GCSE’s qualifies for level 3 courses. To have an “open” choice of level 3 courses students will need to achieve mainly grade 6 and above. The media may, in future, identify with the governments international standard, 5+ in English and maths. This may influence employers.

Workload and study skills a) How much time should be spent on school work? b) Independent learning tasks: Normal homework Revision Reading around the subject Coursework / controlled assessment c) Other obligations and priorities: Part-time job Socialising Sport Music School work Need to adjust the balance at key times

Achieving success Pupils who do well: Are self motivated Develop resilience Are organised Are independent workers Plan their time over a long period Understand the exam requirements Plan and carry out revision Perfect exam technique

What can a parent / carer do? The more parents are engaged in the education of their children, the more likely their children are to succeed in the education system. The scale of the impact is evident across all social classes and all ethnic groups. Home – school link Mediator with school Provide a suitable working environment Provide equipment Pay for materials that will help them succeed

Support study by; A) Talk to your sons and daughters about work B) Look at their Record Book C) Check marking and feedback from teachers D) Test them on work they have done E) Help them find past exam papers on the internet F) Help with time management and breaking down tasks Arrange activities that are enjoyable and educational Agreeing and monitoring revision and homework rules Analyse and discuss school reports Challenge teachers, school, governors, yourselves, if your child is underperforming

In school Your child will receive directed use of tutor time for; work / revision timetable Simple revision strategies; a) Mnemonics b) Flashcards c) Mind maps d) Past papers and quizzes

A revision / work timetable Enables work to be distributed evenly.

Yr.11: Revision Skill Focus of the Week Mnemonics A pattern of letters, ideas, or associations which assists in remembering something.

Yr.11: Revision Skill Focus of the Week RULE 1: MAKE YOUR OWN FLASHCARDS This is the most important part of the learning process: RULE 2: MIX PICTURES & WORDS – IT WILL INCRAESE YOUR BRAIN’S ABILITY TO RECALL Recall learnt information Add new information Create a card that helps trigger your memory! Flashcards a card containing a small amount of information to help aid active recall RULE 4: FOCUS ONE FLASHCARD ON ONE ASPECT OF THE TOPIC = YOU WILL HAVE A COLLECTION OF FLASHCARDS FOR EACH TOPIC. RULE 3: USE MNEMONIC DEVICES TO CREATE MENTAL CONNECTIONS

Yr.11: Revision Skill Focus of the Week

Yr.11: Revision Skill Focus of the Week 1. Helps you focus on common exam themes 3. Develops/improves your time management 2. Allows you to practice with actual exam-style questions Past Papers & Quizzes 5. Helps you to refine your exam skills by knowing the mark scheme 6. The key to retrieving and moving information from your stored memory, to your working memory. 4. Helps you get a feel for the real exam paper

Revision structure Set an aim for each session Set a time for each session Break each topic into chunks Produce notes or mind maps containing key ideas Test yourself Have a way to check progress Revisit revision

Active revision Mind maps on large paper Display pictures and posters around the house Display revision prompts around the house Record revision and play it another time Highlighting (some individual subjects have individual highlighting tips) Listen to podcasts – GCSE Pod Use apps and video clips Read then test yourself Verbalise what you have learnt Ask someone to quiz you

Work Strategies Self Assessment Red = ‘I find this very difficult’ Amber = ‘I’m not too bad at this but could improve my knowledge’ Green = ‘I feel confident with this’

To sum up Successful Students have : A full set of notes A revision timetable & checklists Identify successful work strategies A range of resources Independent learning skills Parents who encourage them!

Useful websites www.warwick.surrey.sch.uk www.getrevising.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize www.s-cool.co.uk http://www.gcsepod.com/